May stuff

I took Mill, Ray and Hash to the Hales Center Theater and we saw "Peter and the Starcatchers." It was well done but a little more mature than I anticipated. The kids enjoyed it, nonetheless. Our favorite part was when the pirates also played the roles of the mermaids and swung from gigantic swings hanging from the ceiling. It was AWESOME!

I had my end of the year piano recital. Everyone did a fantastic job. 

Ray and I decided it was time to go through our fingernail polish and throw out the old ones. So we tested all the colors out on our toes.

When the boys went on their annual Father and Sons overnighter, the girls and I went to dinner at Panda Express and then saw the movie, Kung Fu Panda 3. 

Rachel participated in the egg drop at the school. She shoved an egg into a jar of peanut butter. It didn't survive.

Rachel enjoys playing dress up.

Beautiful Millie!

I'm making progress on the blanket I started on our trip to South Dakota. It requires soooo much yarn. I'm not sure I'll be able to make it as long as I intended, but I love it all the same.

Bryce turns SIX

This guy just turned SIX!

The morning of his birthday I said, "Bryce, its your birthday. How do you feel? Do you feel different?"

"I feel bigger!" he said, with a proud grin!

I love these pictures of him. He is a blessing in my life.

Here he is showing off a bandage we tried to keep a cut clean with. After an hour, it was just evidence of how hard he plays.

Here he is caught red-handed with a cookie. And he is just figuring out his sister is taking a picture as proof and he is going to get caught. 

Bryce really like the flowers on our most recent hike.

For his birthday, we went to see a movie and then had dinner at Pizza Pie Pizzaria.

Mom: "I can't believe you are six. I can't believe how big you are getting.

Bryce: "But I can still fit in your arms, though."

Building a foundation - literally

Our family is building a foundation, literally. Sterling has planned and prepared and spent a lot of time dreaming about his little shed in the back. The planning and dreaming is one of the best parts of the project. The other best part is working together as a family to accomplish the dream. 

The morning finally arrived to the lay the foundation for the shed. 

We each had our specific jobs. Syd added water while Ster and Parker mixed the concrete. Mill, Ray and Hash were the stompers, to get the air bubbles out. And I was the finisher.

FOOTINGS:

First we laid the footings and let that set up for a week. 

High-Five, anyone?

The next week, we took over our same roles and laid the foundation. 

FLOOR:

Finishing touches.

Sterling also wants to lay brick. So he had to put long steel plates down to put the bricks on. Lots of sparks fly when you cut steel, let me tell you.

Porch

Rachel painting the steel plates.

It has been so fun to work on this together as a family. 

Next up, walls!

Last day of school

The Last Day of School!

We started it off right with kefir-waffles, (where I accidentally threw away the actual kefir grains and so now, no more kefir. Oh well.) And through in some sour cream, vanilla syrup and you can't help but have a wonderful day!

The middle school kids skipped their last day so they could watch the elementary kids do their dance festival.
(Bryce is in a red shirt second row from right, second kid in line. You can see him every so often)
(Rachel is near the back, third row from left. She has a black jacket on and sunglasses.)
(Camille is near the front on the left. She is in tan pants with glasses.)

For lunch we had homemade pizza and shared it with friends. Then we took the rest of the day off. We sat around, played around, talked and enjoyed not having anything to do!

Hawkapella

Sydney has enjoyed being the audition acapella choir at school this year. At least I think she's enjoyed it. I know I have. 

For the last concert of the year, they get to perform pop songs, which is so fun and a nice change from the more classical sorts of things they do for competitions during the year. And this concert was the best I have ever heard the choir perform. The videos don't do it justice.

You can't really see Sydney in any of the pictures or video because she made sure she stayed in the back. The little stinker. ...

I think this first song was called "Mad Love."

The next song was "Rather Be" and then "Hello" by Adele.

Here are short clips of the songs.
(On the last song, you can catch a glimpse of Syd on the middle row on the left. There are two girls in blue, then a gray shirt girl with dark hair, then Syd in a gray shirt.)

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They ended the concert by singing "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen. They did a great job. It looked like a lot of fun!

Bohemian Rhapsody video:

It was a great year. And now she takes a break. She did not register for choir for her Sophomore year. She's expanding her horizons and trying art!

Sydney's growing up!

Oh, sweet Sydney. Please stop growing up. 

Sydney graduated from Vista Heights middle school. (The same year that the principal is being transferred. So it was a double good-bye.) 

She received an award for having a 4.0 every term this year in school. That represents a lot of hard work. Sydney has really put in the time to get good grades and I am proud of her.

I'm also proud of her friends, who are by her side, and she by theirs, every step of the way.

AND...

AND...

Sydney got her learner's permit for driving. Holey Moley. She studied her little heart out and had to try on two different visits, to pass the test. On her final try, she only missed 4 out of 50!

I can't believe my Sydney is driving! And I'm sure it comes as no surprise that she is a fantastic driver!

This is one beautiful girl. Beautiful as in the real kind. The kind that comes from the inside, that shines through the eyes and is on display, not in perfect make-up and stylish hair, but in her actions. 

Can't help but love this beautiful creature!

Mother's Day

My favorite garden flowers are usually in full bloom when Mother's Day comes around. Its a special gift to me because it reminds me of my mom and my grandma's.

Mom always had lilacs in her backyard, lining the back fence. The small blossoms, clustered together, produced such a beautiful fragrance. Every two or three days, I clip new bundles to bring into the house. They fill my home with beauty. And they remind me of my mom and both of my grandmas, actually.

I have so much I want to say about mothers but I can't seem to find the time to sit down and write. 

So here is a little Haiku writing exercise I did regarding these flowers.

Lavendar lilacs

whisper of generations

of mothers through time.

This massive balloon greeted me on Mother's Day morning. 

Ever since Rachel was a small baby, she has always loved being close to me. When I held her, she would often press her cheek against mine for the whole time I was holding her. I love it and I still love it when she is close. 

This particular day, she climbed up on my back while I was standing in the kitchen, similar to a baby monkey. And I became an Orangu-mom.

Have I ever mentioned that I love being a mom?

Because I do.

I love it.

Hope of America on Cinco de Mayo

On Cinco de Mayo, Rachel came home from school and wrote this note with chalk on our driveway, all in Spanish. I love that she is in the Spanish Immersion program at school. She is learning so much!

Translation:

My name is Rachel. I like animals. My favorite animals are dogs and _____. I am in second grade. I like Spanish a lot. Spanish is really fun. I have seven people in my family, two sisters, two brothers and my mom and dad.

Also on Cinco de Mayo was Camille's turn to perform in Utah County's Freedom Festival at the Hope of America on BYU campus. We have learned a lot after doing this with Sydney and Parker (every 5th grader gets the opportunity to participate, so we have two more to go). Our number one lesson learned is to eat dinner in Provo so we can be early and find a parking spot and avoid the horrendous traffic!!!

Because this day was Cinco de Mayo, we had tacos. We would have had tacos on any day but on this day, it made me smile.

Hope of America was fun, like it always is. The pre-shows were entertaining. The Green Man drum group from UVU. Jeanie's dancers (all grandma's). And others. But the real stars were the kids and the awesome songs they sang about America!

I don't know if its because of the time I spent out of America, in places like Russia and China, or if its something different, but I have also felt profoundly patriotic. I cry when I say the Pledge of Allegiance. Not every time, but if you put me next to someone who serves or has served in the military, tears are guaranteed to flow. Even in this election year when things seem grim, having to choose between Trump and Clinton, two people I don't like, I still love America and what it represents. Hope for the future and the realization of dreams. Freedom.

And especially this song. This one is my favorite.

You can be a light, shining everywhere.

All across America, showing people that we care.

So let your light so shine, helping others find their way.

You can turn the darkest night, into the brightest day!